Enjoying the energy

"The people here are real friendly," Lowenstein, of Brookfield, said. "When you perform in a place this small, it seems the energy tends to circulate better than like a regular venue."

That energy circulates every Monday night. Located at 1 Elm St., Cousin Larry's offers local artists a chance to display their talents and sample those of others in a friendly atmosphere, on a night that is typically considered quiet.

There's plenty of seating, allowing patrons to take a load off and turn their attention to those onstage. The stage can accommodate up to five people, along with equipment.

Getting onstage on open-mic night is as simple as getting to Cousin Larry's on a Monday between 8 and 9 p.m., speaking with one of the open-mic night's hosts, and signing up on the official play list.

"All you have to do is show up," said Adam Brandt, sound technician and co-host of the open-mic night. "Bring yourself and your talent."

Brandt is prepared, in terms of sound, to accommodate any and all types of acts. He stressed the open-mic night's policy of welcoming all forms of music from musicians of any experience level.

"It's just about those guys who want to get onstage and rock it as hard as they know they can, even if they're not professionals," said Brandt.

All acts are given a three-song or 15-minute time limit, allowing for an average of around 10 acts on a given night. The entertainment runs from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

A full drum kit is provided for musicians, along with a full PA system and stage lighting. Although there are always house electric and acoustic guitars available, musicians are encouraged to bring their own.

For those looking to take their art more seriously, the house offers cleaned up CD recordings of performances for a fee of $5.

If you're hungry for more than the lively entertainment, there's also plenty to eat, such as hamburgers, chicken wings and other finger foods. And the full bar offers seven different types of beer on tap. Beer is constantly flowing on open-mic night due to $3-pint specials that are offered. The house favorite, Jaegermeister, is also served on tap.

Aside from all that, Cousin Larry's provides its patrons with diversions such as a pool table and multiple arcade machines.

An apparent factor in the popularity of Cousin Larry's open-mic night is its diversity in terms of both the ages of those who perform and musical style. Jeff Goresen, 27, who co-hosts with Brandt, said along with the strong presence of Western Connecticut State University students there are also those who are obviously much older.

"We have a gentleman that's probably in his 50s, who plays, and we have kids that are just 21 that are playing," said Goresen.

WCSU student and singer/songwriter John Paul Selwyn, 21, identified musical diversity as his reason for showing up at Cousin Larry's every Monday night. "I've been all over the place and this is the most open-minded, kind of bohemian atmosphere we got here," said Selwyn.

Longtime singer-songwriter Shasta, a crowd favorite at Cousin Larry's, attributed the popularity of the open-mic nights to the openness of both the hosts and the crowd.

"It's more diverse here than in any other places I've been," he said. "There's everything from rap to folk to jazz to rock and roll."

Performances at Cousin Larry's don't even have to be musical in nature. According to Brandt, stand-up comedians and poets have performed onstage and are always welcome.

Tony Martin, 35, who recently moved to Danbury from Maryland, quickly jumped on Cousin Larry's open-mic night. "I heard about it through one of the cats who performs here," he said. "I asked him if there's any places like this open and the first thing that came out of his mouth was Cousin Larry's."

Although there aren't headliners, per se, at the open-mic nights, there have been some surprises. For instance, last month there was a visit from Joe Bouchard, bassist from the '70s rock group Blue Oyster Cult; he performed both classic BOC songs and originals by Shasta.

Both Brandt and Goresen are confident the entertainment Cousin Larry's has to offer on a Monday nights will not only bring back regulars, as it has, but also draw in newcomers who are looking to break the silence on a quiet night.

"It's nice to have a place to go after the first terrible Monday of the week, kick back, and just cut loose for a while," said Brandt, "That's what we're doing here."